A little history

So, why "7th Generation Texan"? Through my father's side of the family we have strong ties to Texas that date back to the 1820s Austin Colony in southeast Texas. My mother's family came to Texas a bit later, but still managed to get in just as many generations (faster procreators). This is all fresh in my mind as we just returned from the annual extended family reunion where my 8th generation daughter got to play with her 3rd, 4th, and 5th cousins. Yes, we have the family history thing down.

That covers the name of the blog. Moving on... I have been looking for ways to encourage Little One to develop a love for the Catholic faith. And I mean, not just going through the motions, but really understanding and living happily as a Catholic Christian. I've taken her to Mass most Sundays since she was about 1, we pray before meals and at night, those sorts of things. What more? Recently I stumbled across Guiding Your Catholic Preschooler by Kathy Pierce and Lori Rowland. Wonderful little book. I bought my 1992 addition at Half Price Books, but there is a newer addition. Great ideas on how to get preschoolers involved. We've incorporated a few ideas like saying a morning prayer with a candle that she gets to blow out.

Granted, some of the suggestions are pretty obvious, like teaching your child the Sign of the Cross. But maybe not so obvious since I've seen this as a requirement for starting children's faith formation classes (usually at about 5 years old).